KHON KAEN – A 28-year-old man from Chiang Rai was found dead in a hotel room in Chum Phae district, Khon Kaen, early Thursday morning. Authorities believe he died after being bitten by a cobra he had been handling.
Police at Chum Phae station received a report about a sudden death at a hotel in the town at 12.20 am. When officers arrived with medical staff and forensic experts, they found the man dead on the bed in a ground-floor room.
A check of the body showed cobra bite marks on his right upper arm, likely from a venomous snake. Near the entrance, officers found a white cloth bag holding a live cobra with its mouth secured shut. There were no signs of a struggle. The door was locked from inside, and the lights were still on.
Investigators found videos on the man’s phone showing him playing with the snake and holding it close. Early findings suggest he was bitten by the snake, which he kept as a pet, leading to his death.
Police recorded all details at the scene and worked with doctors from Chum Phae Hospital to complete an initial autopsy. The investigation will continue to confirm the exact cause of death, following standard legal steps.
This incident shows the risks of keeping dangerous snakes, like cobras, which are among the most deadly snakes in Thailand. At this stage, police are treating the case as an accident while waiting for the full investigation and autopsy results.
According to a 2023 report, Thailand has one of the lowest death rates from snakebites in Southeast Asia, at about 0.006 per 100,000 people. This works out to roughly four or five deaths each year in a country of 70 million, though the true number could be higher due to unreported cases, especially in rural areas.
A 2005 study on snake bites in Thailand found that out of 85 cases, one person died, mainly from breathing failure. Most victims suffered tissue damage but recovered with proper hospital care.
Both the monocled cobra and the king cobra are linked to many snakebite deaths in Thailand. The monocled cobra causes most of these cases.
Public hospitals in Thailand keep antivenom, and quick treatment is key to saving lives. The safest option is to avoid handling snakes and to get medical help right away if bitten.
